Finely printed and revised Chinese literature books printed in the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties are on display at the Shenzhen Museum’s Ancient Art Division. The exhibition focuses on Lingnan depicted in ancient poetry and prose.

Lingnan refers to the geographical and cultural region in the southern part of China, specifically associated with Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan. From these ancient books, viewers can gain insight into a vivid and diverse Lingnan, which transformed from a mysterious, remote and untamed region to an abundant land with exotic fruits, plants and marine life, gradually earning recognition through generations of migration and exchange.

For example, both Li Shangyin (813-858) and Qin Guan (1049-1100) depicted in their writings that people in Guilin and Leizhou believed in divination and witchery, and the dialects in Lingnan were very hard to understand.

In the Tang Dynasty (618-907) poet Du Fu’s poem collection printed in 1536, Du described the scorching and humid climate in Lingnan, which contributed to many diseases. Similarly, in “Works of Master Changli,” the Tang Dynasty poet Han Yu also shared the same feeling about the misty and humid weather and associated diseases in Lingnan.

The exhibition features a special installation to highlight the significance of the Meiling Ancient Road (or Meiguan Ancient Road), a major path built in the Tang Dynasty to facilitate travels between the Central Plains and Lingnan. This road on the border of Jiangxi and Guangdong played a crucial role in the recognition and development of Lingnan.

Also in Du’s poem collection, the poet lauded Guilin’s picturesque landscape. And in another poem collection printed in 1667, Du suggested to his friend to bring some herbal medicine from Guangzhou to Chengdu for healthcare.

Numerous literati, including Sima Guang (1019-1086) and Su Shi (1037-1101), highly praised litchi in their writings, while others, such as Li He (790-816) and Ouyang Xiu (1007-1072), appreciated the Duan inkstones produced in Zhaoqing, Guangdong.

Su was not only delighted with various seafood in Hainan but also was awed by scenes of people worshiping the sea deity at the South Sea God Temple in Guangzhou, as depicted in his poetry collections. More literati from various periods also mentioned the thriving maritime trade in Lingnan.

In addition to the precious books, ancient artifacts, such as an Eastern Zhou Dynasty (770-256 B.C.) pottery jar excavated from Dameisha, Shenzhen, are also on display.

A specially designed exhibition hall projects Cantonese phrases onto the floor for visitors to guess their meanings, and poems are recited in various dialects in Lingnan by artificial figures, providing an immersive experience for visitors to learn about the rich and unique Lingnan culture.

Throughout the exhibition, the Shenzhen Museum will hold lectures, printmaking activities, painting events and notebook drawing classes.

Ancient Chinese texts are classified into four categories — jing (classics), shi (history), zi (philosophy) and ji (literature). From 2018 to 2022, the Shenzhen Museum has exhibited selected books from the classics, history and philosophy categories at five exhibitions, reflecting its commitment to preserving and promoting traditional Chinese culture. The past ancient book exhibitions have garnered widespread acclaim from experts and visitors.

Dates: Through March 3, 2024

Booking: WeChat account “iszbwg”

Venue: Shenzhen Museum’s Ancient Art Division, Futian District (深圳博物馆古代艺术馆)

Metro: Line 9 to Hongling South Station (红岭南站), Exit A